MEET THE ELYS TASTEMAKERS
At Elys, we strive to bring you a bespoke experience, exceptional service and delight those we welcome through our doors. Inspired by our desire to be more accessible, we extend this here, in the digital world – a place where you will find topical editorials, practical advice, how-to features and articles to help demystify complexities you may face as a shopper.
With that in mind, we invite you to meet some (possibly familiar) faces to the Elys family. Our Tastemakers have been enlisted to put the spotlight on trends, big conversation topics, need to know brands and the latest launches. Each is an expert in their field, with a wealth of knowledge and experience across Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle and Food.
Together with a collective of buyers and creators behind-the-scenes at Elys, our Tastemakers will share the same friendly advice and community spirit we deliver in-store, bringing a little bit of Elys to wherever you are.
So, without further ado, let us introduce you to our Tastemakers...
CHARLOTTE BROADBENT
Award-winning personal stylist, TV presenter, fashion lecturer and style blogger.
Follow Charlotte @_charlotteloves_
Having qualified as a Stylist with Distinction, Charlotte has gone on to build her highly successful business CHARLOTTE LOVES, not only as a Personal Stylist, but as a fashion TV presenter, Style Lecturer at London College of Style, Fashion Editor, and Style Blogger, as well as becoming a talented Impact Coach focussing on dressing for success in the corporate world. Previous to this, Charlotte has worked with luxury brands and was Fashion & Beauty Director at HELLO!. Charlotte lives and works in Wimbledon with her husband, two young daughters and new puppy.
It’s proven that the colour of choice can evoke feelings and emotions that’s can prepare us for day to day challenges we come up against. Which colours do you look to when you want to feel confident and why?
Colours really do hold powerful transformational qualities. There are two colours that make me feel my most confident. Red has the longest wavelength, meaning that when it’s absorbed, it releases adrenalin into your system, evoking emotions such as love and excitement. I feel red really awakens a dynamic energy within me, and have found that it grabs attention and promotes action.
The second is yellow – which is the first colour the eye sees. I love incorporating this colour into my outfits as it gives a sense of positivity, optimism and high self-esteem. It definitely brings joy and summons a smile.
With Elys being on your doorstep, you’re often popping into store. How would you describe us?
Elys feels like home. It’s our happy place. A luxury shopping destination for our whole family with everything we need under one roof; women’s and men’s fashion, beauty, home, kids and food! Memorable moments are frequently created here; my husband shopping for Mother’s Day presents with the children, Grandma treating the girls to milkshakes and toys after school and fun new season shopping with our puppy.
Check out Charlotte’s blog to get your daily dose of Fashion and Beauty.
FELICITY BARNES
Beauty Brand Consultant, Copywriter and Product Developer
Felicity is a storyteller.
For over 20 years, she has been working behind the scenes with brands to create a portfolio of products, language and dialogue that develops emotive connections with people.
Whether that is making concepts a creative reality, breathing life into new brands, energizing existing brands, crafting products or words, that’s where Felicity is happiest…creating conversations.
Felicity is passionate and a fully signed up beauty obsessive.
She runs her own business, is a busy mum of two boys and co-presents a new podcast – Another Beauty Podcast with fellow beauty enthusiast, Makeup Artist and Brow Specialist, Rose Hobbs.
With so much choice, the world of beauty can, for some, be an overwhelming and confusing one. What can our readers expect from the advice you share with us?
Even if you are on the inside, it can be overwhelming!
From me, you can expect passion, positivity, authenticity and a full on celebration of the joy of beauty.
I want to use my experience and connections in the industry, to help empower people to make good choices for themselves, help cut through some of the ‘noise’, misrepresentations and marketing.
Given your wealth of cosmetics experience and knowledge, what, in your opinion, is the biggest beauty misconception and can you bust the myth for us?
One of the biggest frustrations for me currently is the phrase: ‘CHEMICAL FREE’.
Everything, including the air we breathe, is a chemical.
This language is negative, incorrect and harmful to understanding and educated choices in the industry.
I understand why it is used, it is used to imply “safer”, but this is simply untrue and I believe consumers deserve better than that. I hope to help!
HELEN CANNING
Personal Stylist, Fashion Stylist, Fashion Writer, award-winning Blogger, Style Tutor
Helen has over a decade of experience in the fashion industry styling and writing for national magazines, working with top fashion brands, running an award-winning blog and YouTube channel and has also built up a successful career as a Personal Stylist, while also managing to fit in being a mum of two. Helen is part of the Personal Stylist Team here at Elys. The expert Elys Personal Styling team are all passionate about helping women and men to look the best they possibly can.
Happy both behind and in front of the camera, Helen hosts our Fashion Shows, styles our Fashion Shoots and writes editorial for Elys Style and Time & Leisure Magazine.
Over the years, Helen has built up a strong connection with the store, and Wimbledon as a whole, getting to know the surrounding community and other local businesses over the years. Helen tells us that she is thrilled to be an Elys Tastemaker, and is excited to share her fashion knowledge and expertise to a wider audience.
Helen will bring top style tips and inspiration for everyday living to ‘Inspired by…Elys’. Her ultimate goal is always to make great style accessible to everyone to boost confidence through how you look and subsequently feel.
As one of our resident Personal Stylists, how would you describe Elys’ Womenswear and Menswear departments to someone who has never visited the store?
Elys’ Womenswear and Menswear departments have a great mix of brands from which to build your wardrobe, whatever your lifestyle. From High Street favourites to luxury labels and introducing niche brands, the fashion found in-store is carefully curated to bring you key trends and timeless pieces to allow you to create individual looks that are unique to you.
You live and breathe fashion. How do you hope to inspire readers of our blog to get them feeling confident and excited about styling themselves?
Fashion should be fun, but so many women and men find it daunting so I like to show that it’s not just about wearing a catwalk look head-to-toe – that doesn’t work for real life – instead I show how to make fashion truly wearable to suit your own lifestyle and body.
I hope to share professional styling tips and tricks here to guide you through how to pull an outfit together and add polish to a look with minimum effort, while giving maximum impact.
Book an appointment with Helen and the team of Personal Stylists in-store.
SISLEY WHITE
Food & Lifestyle Blogger, Recipe Developer and Home Stylist
Sisley is a lover of creating recipes and visiting local restaurants. With a love of the home and embracing the good life, Sisley has expanded into writing lifestyle pieces, covering everything from interiors and table settings to gifts.
Sisley has been writing and blogging for 8 years, her blog is a feast for the eyes featuring beautiful photographs of delicious dishes. Her talent and enthusiasm for Food and Lifestyle has not gone unnoticed, with world-renowned brands regularly collaborating with Sisley to bring their products and innovations to life. Living by the motto ‘Eat, drink and be merry’, Sisley celebrates good food, delicious drinks whilst striving to maintain a happy, healthy lifestyle.
You have lived in South West London your entire life. What is your most treasured memory of Elys?
Growing up, I remember the days when my grandmother would take me on the 93 bus over the hill to Wimbledon to visit Elys.
My gran used to knit a lot and so would visit the store to stock up on wool from the Haberdashery department. Every visit, we would make our way to the third floor to visit the restaurant where I would have a delicious treat of a proper ‘90s iced bun and an apple juice. Whenever I visit the Elys Restaurant now, I always have the happiest memories of being there with my gran.
If you were locked in Elys for one night, which two areas of the store would you explore and what would you hope to find?
I would have to head straight to the range of food, drink items on the third floor, and cheekily spend my time exploring the sweet and savoury treats on offer. There are some great drinks and foodie gifts, so I’m excited to find what unique new favourites I might find!
Before morning arrives, I would stop by the Womenswear department and try on everything I would not be brave enough to usually. Alternatively, I would head to the shoe section and teach myself how to walk in a beautiful pair of heels whilst I had the store to myself.